Epiphone Les Paul Studio review

A no-nonsense hard-rocker that's outstanding value for money

Epiphone Les Paul Studio on white background
(Image: © Epiphone)

Guitar World Verdict

Combining two powerful humbuckers with extra switching options, the sound of the Epiphone Les Paul Studio is gloriously Gibson, without you needing to refinance your house to get it.

Pros

  • +

    Powerful humbuckers deliver sustain for days

  • +

    Extra switching options for added versatility

  • +

    Super comfortable neck profile

  • +

    Great looks and faultless finish

  • +

    Outstanding value for money

Cons

  • -

    Tuners could be better

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The original Les Paul Studio was designed to fill a gap in Gibson's line, where the instrument needed to be more affordable in order to get it into the hands of the working guitar player. Following on with a similar mindset, the Epiphone Les Paul Studio aims to capture the original Gibson models' magic at an even better price point.

Gone are any superfluous cosmetic features such as the neck and body binding. The body thickness is reduced, and it's a maple cap with a veneer rather than a AAA flame-Maple top. Ultra Modern weight relief completes the stripping back of this instrument, which you might think rids it of anything that made it like a Les Paul in the first place.

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Matt McCracken
Junior Deals Writer

Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at Guitar World. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on guitars, amps, pedals, modelers, and pretty much anything else guitar-related. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and writing and recording in bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the country in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at.